Blog Post

We are here with licensed acupuncturist Christina Bird, who has some helpful tips to share on how to get rid of that pesky jet lag! Symptoms of jet lag can include fatigue, confusion, headaches, nausea, and insomnia. If you suffer from these symptoms during your travels, read on to learn how you can avoid this miserable experience with the power of acupuncture!

How can acupuncture help with jet lag?

Christina: To put it in a simple (albeit slightly esoteric) way, acupuncture is all about bringing balance into the body. The big thing about jet lag is that you are “imbalanced” – your body is still in another time zone, your sleep is off, you were breathing recycled air for an extended period, you were sitting in one spot for most of the flight, and there is probably a dehydration factor as well. Getting a treatment can definitely help restore your equilibrium.

From a Western perspective, acupuncture stimulates blood flow, especially in the area surrounding the inserted needle, as well as the entirety of the muscle in which the needle is inserted. This is especially helpful in treating the stiffness and soreness associated with jet lag.

Can you describe your experiences using acupuncture for jet lag?

Christina: I have used acupuncture to recover from jet lag several times, on both myself and my fiancé. Although, our “jet lag” wasn’t very extreme since we weren’t traveling around the world or anything, we just had to deal with being on a flight and all the stiffness that it can create. We both felt better immediately after the treatment – a lot of the soreness was gone right away. And we both slept better that night and felt rested the next morning. That is one thing that I have found to be consistent about the feeling after an acupuncture treatment: the body always feels nice and relaxed afterwards and most people will have a really good night’s sleep that night.

Would you recommend doing acupuncture before you travel, after, both?

Christina: Both would be fantastic! But, if I had to choose between the two, I would say after is better. No matter how much you prepare for a flight, there is always ugh-ness afterwards.

Do you have anything else to add?

Christina: Acupuncture has many more practical applications aside from jet lag. It can also be used to treat a variety of symptoms, including muscle pain, depression, insomnia, and other ailments. For more information on the benefits of acupuncture, you can also visit the World Health Organization.